DI Fellow Profile – David E. Silva
David E. Silva participated in the John and Fonda Elliot Design Innovation Faculty Fellowship, a six-week intensive program that ran through July 11th. The fellowship embodies DI's core mission of fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, connecting design, innovation and technology while serving as an incubator for cross-university projects.
Silva's fellowship project built on previous work done by the Interdisciplinary Projects courses with the Depthkit volumetric cameras and operated on two fronts: an internal campus goal and an external industry partnership that demonstrates the practical applications of this emerging technology for solving real-world business challenges.
On the Kent-facing side, Silva is working to optimize the set up and operation of the volumetric video capture technology, acquired through grant funding. This cutting-edge technology presents significant technical challenges, requiring intensive computational resources to render digital assets and integrate them into 3D spatial environments using platforms like Unity.
Silva's goal is to streamline the processes to use the tech. "My objective is to create a system where anyone can come in, capture what they need in 3D and have everything ready to go with simplified workflows," Silva explained. Part of his work is focused on eliminating technical barriers that might prevent faculty and students from leveraging this powerful visualization tool.
The external component of Silva's fellowship involves a partnership with , a Colorado company whose platforms apply technologies developed by Kent State's Liquid Crystal Institute. The company operates facilities in Rootstown, Ohio, and Boulder, Colorado. It specializes in developing food safety testing processes using highly sophisticated equipment, proprietary assays and advanced photonics.
Crystal Diagnostics’ principal platforms are their AccuPath and AccuPath Max, which are fully automated food pathogen detecting units. The AccuPaths automate microbiology testing by moving samples through various stages of analysis. These robotic liquid handling machines can be difficult to demonstrate for potential clients given the need to be handled carefully when being transported.
Currently, when engaging potential customers, the company must ship these machines internationally – a process that involves substantial costs and potential risks of damage and also requires a two-week on-site commitment from their technical team for training and demonstration. In short, there are significant logistical challenges and substantial associated costs.
The costs and logistics involved create barriers for both Crystal Diagnostics and their potential customers. Clients must clear space to accommodate the equipment and receive technical training. Crystal Diagnostics must prepare the equipment for multiple transport stages, send field services staff to set up and perform onsite calibration so the AccuPaths will function optimally during customer trials. And if the customer does not proceed to retain the units (whether through purchase or lease or a financing arrangement), Crystal Diagnostics faces the additional expenses and risks of return shipping.
Silva's innovative solution leverages volumetric capture technology to create a digital twin of the AccuPath. This approach transforms the customer experience by enabling virtual demonstrations and training sessions, eliminating many of the logistical hurdles that currently complicate the sales process. The commercial implications are obvious, but until now there have been few alternative options. That is why the new virtual reality model has the potential to be such a game-changer.